Pakistani opposition supporters ended their protests after the crackdown

Opposition supporters in Pakistan have temporarily suspended protests demanding the release of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, a day after marching in central Islamabad.

Protesters have vowed not to leave the capital until Khan is released. But as they broke through the barriers and approached Democracy Square on Tuesday, they were pushed back by police and met with volleys of tear gas.

At least six people – four security personnel and two civilians – died in clashes during the latest protests, which began on Sunday.

Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), said in a statement on Wednesday that the protests had been “temporarily suspended” due to “government brutality”.

The crackdown on protesters was swift. Although Khan’s supporters made it to the city center, by sunset on Tuesday, authorities had dispersed them.

A government source told local media that police had arrested more than 500 PTI supporters and the interior minister said that his wife Bushra Bibi, who had been at the center of the protest, had left the area. area.

PTI claimed that several of its party members were killed in the crackdown and called for an investigation.

Overnight, the BBC spoke to two sources at a nearby hospital who said they had received the bodies of four civilians suffering from gunshot wounds.

The BBC has not yet independently verified the reports. Pakistan’s information minister said the government was against opening fire on protesters.

Islamabad has been placed on lockdown, with a heavy security presence deployed in anticipation of clashes with convoys of PTI supporters.

The convoy was led by PTI leader Ali Amin Gandapur and Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi, who was released from prison in October and has since taken a more prominent role in trying to mobilize support for Khan.

Reports said Gandapur and Bushra Bibi left Islamabad and returned to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where their convoy originated.

The protesters were said to have responded to a “final” call from Khan, asking them to “fight to the end” until their demands are met.

Their destination was D-Chowk near the central government buildings in Islamabad, where political rallies and demonstrations have taken place since the 1980s.

But only a few protesters made it that far.

By Tuesday evening – just hours after protesters first arrived at the square – security officers had successfully cleared the area. When night fell, the lights went out – only the police officers and paramilitary soldiers remained.

Khan has been in prison for more than a year on charges he says are politically motivated.

Even behind bars, the former cricket star has proven to be a powerful figure in Pakistani politics. In February’s election, his party, which had been banned from running and forced to run candidates as independents, emerged as the largest bloc.

However, they failed to achieve a majority and their opponents united to form a new government.

PTI has called for the election results to be annulled as it claims the vote was rigged, an allegation disputed by the government.